Resolved XPPSP3 - Boot mystery

A desktop PC has just started to refuse to boot, with a message like "....no System Disk... ". It's done this several times over the last few days.

But it boots happily from a floppy that I'd prepared several years back. The floppy contains three files, boot.ini, ntdetect.com and ntldr. Here's a comparison of the floppy files and the C files:
------------------------------------------------------
C:\:
Boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS= "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

Ntdetect.com - 47,564 bytes, created 28th Aug 02
Ntldr - 250,048 bytes, created 29th Aug 02
------------------------------------------------------
Floppy:
Boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS= "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

Ntdetect.com - 47,580 bytes, created 3rd Nov 05
Ntldr - 233,632 bytes, created 3rd Nov 05
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My question: Should I just replace those three files on C with those from the floppy? Or am I missing something obvious here?

Cheers

 

I doubt the problem is with those bootloader files. You should boot with the floppy and run chkdsk /r on the System drive. If that doesn't help, consider running the manufacturers diagnostics on the hard drive.

 

As a diagnostic move, boot up and format another floppy and place the three bootloader files on it by copying them from the hard drive. Then test that floppy for booting. That would either clear or incriminate those files. If they are bootable from the floppy, it would tend to mean that your boot sector (sector 0) on the HD may be failing. The diagnostics from the HD manufacturer should pinpoint that.

 

Good call, Dude, I'll try that. Didn't think of the drive being possibly problematic. I wonder, if it is ailing, whether Hard Drive Regenerator might fix it. I've had some good results from that app.

 

I have not tested Hard Drive Regenerator so can't comment there.

Other possibilities abound. HD data cable, weak CMOS battery, BIOS chip, failing slave drive on same IDE channel, power supply, and MOBO are among the possibilities.

Good luck in your quest.

 

Before you start making any changes make a backup of your data and if possible your whole system (i.e. a disk image)
I do not think that your problem is caused by boot.ini because Windows XP can boot even if there is no boot.ini provided the boot sector and HAL are valid. To check this boot from the floppy and click Start>Control Panel>System>Advanced> Startup and Recovery>Settings and look at Default Operating System>Edit
You should see this
[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS= "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /uptime /NoExecute=OptIn
Edit your entry to comply, then use windows explorer\properties to set system check at your next boot

If you still can not boot, then as suggested above there is something wrong with your hard disk, you could use the recovery console to repair the boot sector but if that fails you have a fault which might be cleared by reformatting the disk and restoring from back up or it is hardware and you need a new disk

 

Dude, you were right, it wasn't the boot files. I made another boot floppy using the existing files and it worked just now, following today's boot failure.

It's really no BFD, as I leave the PC going most of the time, but I need to find out what's happening. I'll check out your other suggestions Cheers..

 

Heads-up: Dude, you were spot-on. Seems to have been the IDE cable. I just shut the pc down then re-seated the ribbon and voyler - a no-prob reboot.
That's interesting. If a slightly loose cable can cause a boot malfunction like this, then it seems likely that data transfer might also be affected, particularly between master and slave devices.
Well done, the Dude!